Homeschooling in Colorado

If you have chosen to homeschool in Colorado, you may need information, resources, and curriculum that will help you get started. This page aims to help guide you through the process of homeschooling in the Centennial state. Take a few minutes to read through it, and feel free to share this page with other new homeschoolers in your state.

To find out more about the legal requirements for homeschooling in Colorado, Time4Learning recommends that you visit your state’s Department of Education website. Each state in the U.S. has different requirements for homeschooling families, and these requirements can frequently change, so we suggest doing thorough research to make sure that you are complying with your individual state regulations. You can also visit one of these sites:

Legal disclaimer: This page provides suggestions and information on how to meet the mandatory school attendance laws in Colorado. It is not intended and should not be used as definitive legal advice. In most states, parents find a variety of legal methods to pursue the educational approach that they prefer for their child.

A Few Favorite Resources in Colorado

Another link for parents in the Pikes Peak region is www.peakparent.org. There is a homeschool mom’s group in Colorado Springs, which we’ve heard many homeschoolers have enjoyed. The group offers enrichment classes for children two days a week and a mom’s group once a week.

Along with the group, contacting your local school district and talking to them may be a good idea. Many schools have homeschool programs available, and some even provide free supplies. If your area allows CHOICE options for the school districts, check with your neighboring districts also. This often works well to still participate in the program, but without physically moving your home. However, you may have to go on waiting lists, as those families who are within the district get first priority.

After his first day using Time4Learning, my son looked over at me and said ‘I’m really smart mom!’ That statement is priceless!

Time4Learning started out as a supplement, but has now become more of a center piece to our homeschooling. I wasn’t expecting that at all!

Homeschooling moms often find the following resources helpful for staying connected and keeping up with what is going on in Colorado.

Teacher Supply Stores: Banks School Supply in Northglenn or Teacher’s Helper in Arvada. Although you’ll pay more for stuff here, sometimes it is the only place you can find particular things (For example, a Bingo game for Colorado History)

The Colorado Homeschooling Experience

In Colorado, anything from field trips to library trips to playing Scrabble can be considered part of your daily education. There are many great resources including co-ops, homeschooling groups, and virtual academies. Colorado is very homeschool friendly, and grants parents a wide range of flexibility. Many families have been able to create their own curriculum to suit their student’s exact needs. Not only that, but Colorado has an option for homeschooling families to use a State-Licensed Homeschool Evaluator in lieu of the required testing. Using an evaluator is often very helpful in keeping families on track and providing invaluable expertise. Also, some local school districts work with homeschool families through the Homeschool Academy. The schools offer a full day of classes once a week for homeschooling families to enroll their children. Many students have enjoyed it, and homeschooling moms appreciate the opportunity to supplement their curriculum with classes.

Children must be registered as homeschoolers beginning with first grade. A short written letter of intent is all that is required. It is not necessary to file a letter of intent for kindergartners. Basic skills testing is not mandated until grade 3, and then every other year after that. Of course, the other option is to register through the public or charter school virtual academies, or to register through CHEC, FACE or a variety of curriculum publishers who provide private school status and diplomas.

A Typical Homeschooling Day

There are many different approaches to homeschooling. For instance, you may try to focus on one subject each day. Or, you may do a bit of each subject every day. Perhaps you just cover your child’s weakest subjects each day, and then do the rest here and there as the week progresses. If you have to work outside the home, maybe you plan the day out ahead of time. In that situation, most of the day could probably focus on Time4Learning, as you would not be available to provide specific instruction. Even when you are home, you could use Time4Learning during the times when you need to clean or cook. You can easily review your students’ work regularly through the report page to see what areas they may need more work on.

Some homeschool families are incredibly busy and find it easier to school year-round. This way, they don’t feel stressed if they miss days or take a family vacation during the winter or spring.

Other families use a mix of programs. For example, you could do lapbooking/unit studies, living books, art projects, and Time4learning combined! Say in the morning, after breakfast and feeding the pets, you mosey on down to your basement, where most of your schooling materials are kept. You might do songs, the pledge of allegiance, sharing or show and tell, stretching and yoga, calendar and weather, flashcards, book reading, etc. You may play a game using objects like counting bears, beanbags, geoprisms, rice boxes, maps, or whatever you come up with that day. After that, you might have a snack, then do an art project and several worksheets (or coloring sheets for younger students). Your children might like to play outside while you make lunch.

In the afternoon, you may run errands, field trips, play dates, or go to the park. When you return, your older students might work on Time4Learning while your younger students rest or watch a movie and you clean or do chores. You and your children might also like to play UNO, Chess, Scrabble, and other games in the afternoon. Later on, you’ll make dinner and spend time together before baths and bed. Some days, your children may even have an enrichment class or sport as well.

You might like to take advantage of the Woodrow Wilson Charter School Homeschool Connection one day per week. This is a publicly funded enrichment program for homeschooling children K-6. Your children may also like to take homeschooling gymnastics or homeschooling swim lessons at your local recreation center.

My daughter has a great time with Time4Learning. She thoroughly enjoys the reading part of the lessons and is able to really expand her phonics and reading, skills in a fun and interactive way.

On timed reading assignments, my son has to beat the clock. Then he is scored and asked to read the assignment again with more fluency. I love that the emphasis is on reading fluently.

Homeschooling with Time4Learning

Time4Learning’s experience shows that there is no single, best homeschool material. Rather than feeling torn between homeschool resources, parents should select a diverse blend of materials and activities.

For families with more than one child, choosing a homeschool curriculum can be more problematic. What works for one child may not work for another. What works for one subject may not work on the next. What works one year, may fall flat the very next year.

Some of the features that make Time4Learning so successful include:

Time4Learning appeals to a wide range of learning styles. Our online learning materials are especially well-suited to children who are visual or kinesthetic learners. These children can take advantage of Time4Learning’s interactive, multi-media materials.

Children like using the computer to learn. It’s a convenient, interactive homeschool resource that provides a welcome change each day to paper-and-pencil workbooks and textbook-based lessons.

Parents like that it tracks progress and helps children advance by clearly presenting and reinforcing each lesson.

Time4Learning’s self-paced, modularized lesson plans allow you to move forward and back through the materials whenever you want. You can skip lessons that teach concepts your child has already mastered and repeat those he or she has not. The choice is yours. With Time4Learning, you are always in control.

Time4Learning is proven effective with homeschoolers, has a low monthly price, is easy-to-use, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can make sure that it works for your children!

Sign up for Time4Learning as part of your overall homeschool curriculum.

If you have any more questions or comments about homeschooling in Colorado, head over to the Colorado Parent Forum.

Some Helpful Tools and Resources

Welcome to Homeschooling Guide – Are you new to homeschooling? This guide was written by seasoned homeschoolers to answer some of the difficult questions new families often struggle with.

Homeschool Portfolio Information – Answers common questions about homeschool portfolios and evaluations. It includes tips on organization methods, what to include and how Time4Learning can be used as part of your homeschool portfolio.

Online Parent’s Forum – Reach out to homeschoolers in your area, join discussions, ask questions and trade ideas on our online community of homeschooling parents. Having the support of seasoned homeschoolers can really help make your homeschooling journey a success.

Hints & Help Section – Whether you’re new to Time4Learning, a long term member, or a future member with questions about how the program works, this section answers questions about navigation, lesson planning & previewing, how the teacher guides and worksheets work, and more!

Puffin Academy App – Learn how to use Time4Learning on most mobile devices with the Puffin Academy app for iOS and Android! Get details on this kid-friendly app, including how to download and use it on the go with Time4Learning.